Cutting panicle on young mango trees

[baccarat0809]

So, my 3 year old grafted "la nina" (P.R. variety of size XXL Mangos) has flowered profusely and I now have numerous BB size fruit on those panicles.  As I've read its way too early to let any of the fruit stay, so I'm going to trim the panicles back.

Should I break off / cut off the extension of the panicle (the individual branch that held the flowers and now holds the bb's) where it hits the main branch, or should I just cut the entire length of the panicle off?

On a bright note, the weight of the flowers has taken the tree from a rather upright tree and spread the canopy out crazy wide.  Its now about 7 feet wide where it had been about 2 feet wide before.  I'm thinking of adding some weight to the branches to keep the canopy wide open like it is now for the future growth - any thoughts on that?

thanks

dc

[MangoFang]

I believe the common wisdom with this situation is to cut off the panicle when the fruit gets pea-sized.  I was
a bit confused by your where to cut the panicle part of your question.  I would think it would be just the panicle
you'd need to cut and nothing farther back.....good luck



Gary

[Coach62]

I misunderstood the question! Deleting my replies

[Coach62]

deleted

[roblack]

I've been told it is best to not cut the panicle, but to pick off the tiny mangoes and leave the panicle intact.

[simon_grow]

You’re in Florida so your situation is different than mine but I remove the entire panicle plus the base of the stem where the panicle attaches to the branch because the base where the panicle attaches to the stem often becomes dried, calloused and a source for fungal growth.

I’m not sure if flower inducing weather( Cold) has passed Your part of Florida but if it has, you can prune off the panicle now. The amount of cold weather and other triggers to flowering such as age of previous flush is variety specific but a good way to know if flowering is over in your area is to observe trees around the neighborhood or in your own yard. If the majority of mango trees around your area is pushing new vegetative growth, blooming is probably over so it’s safe to remove the panicle without much worry of another re blooming unless a cold front is in the forecast.

Here’s more about mango flowering: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1677-04202007000400007&script=sci_arttext

And pruning mango: http://www.growables.org/information/documents/MangoPruningStrategies.pdf

Simon

[cbss_daviefl]

End of March/April is relatively safe time to trim them off. There can be a lot of time between fruitlet formation and April. Mangos can be pretty good sized by then.  Either way, it will not make a huge difference as long as the tree does not hold fruit.

My Kathy tree formed buds in August or September of last year. The buds stayed dormant and did not start pushing out until January or February. They ended up being flowers.   

[behlgarden]

You’re in Florida so your situation is different than mine but I remove the entire panicle plus the base of the stem where the panicle attaches to the branch because the base where the panicle attaches to the stem often becomes dried, calloused and a source for fungal growth.

I’m not sure if flower inducing weather( Cold) has passed Your part of Florida but if it has, you can prune off the panicle now. The amount of cold weather and other triggers to flowering such as age of previous flush is variety specific but a good way to know if flowering is over in your area is to observe trees around the neighborhood or in your own yard. If the majority of mango trees around your area is pushing new vegetative growth, blooming is probably over so it’s safe to remove the panicle without much worry of another re blooming unless a cold front is in the forecast.

Here’s more about mango flowering: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1677-04202007000400007&script=sci_arttext

And pruning mango: http://www.growables.org/information/documents/MangoPruningStrategies.pdf

Simon

I am trying something new this year. I am removing all blooms keeping the pennicle intact, and stripping 4 leaves below the node base of pennicle. Plan is as it warms up and pennicle falls off, I will cut the node off. Assuming by that time I will have swelled buds at leaf nodes.

[kalan]

I like this plan. I’m going to experiment with you.
Keith

[Seanny]

What happens if you cut 4" off from the panicle now?

[behlgarden]

What happens if you cut 4" off from the panicle now?

If cut early chances are the leaf nodes might bloom again. with Pennicle instact I am assuming that I am successful in fooling the plant that all is well, while there are no blooms or fruitlets. at some point when pennicle is aborted, plant will not push blooms. inner cycle is cut off at that time. so if it takes 4-8 weeks for this process, by end of Spring in CA I will have plump wood that is ready to push.

[cbss_daviefl]

Here is a picture I took on 4/14/17. Panicle sprouting secondary panicles after the original bloom did not set fruit. This was on my peach cobbler.

[WGphil]

I’m cutting about 7/8 of  the panicle off on my younger trees.  That way it  won’t  waste time setting a large crop to be taken off anyhow.  After fruit set I will remove some, most or all of the fruit depending on tree.

If you cut it all off it blooms again wasting even more time.